Buckle



H; si. PIERRE 2,089,841

v BUCKLE Filed Oct. 26, 1932 Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3Claims.

'I'he principal objects oi this invention are to provide a buckle which will hold rigidly or can be made proof against accidental opening by the turning of the end of the strap back through the buckle; to provide a construction in which an excessive pull on the strap will only tighten the end of the strap and will not distort the buckle so as to lose its gripping eiect on the said end; to provide a construction for this purpose which can be made very inexpensively of sheet stock and yet will have all the strength required and to provide the buckle with a handle which will provide suiilcient leverage and enable the ordinary user to unbuckle it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which i y Fig. l is-a view of an anti-skid device or mud hook laid out flat and having a buckle constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of a ilat blank cut out to form the main body of the buckle;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of this buckle blank when completed, showing the connection of the chains thereto;

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the clamping member of the buckle, looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 6 is an `end view of this clamping member as indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view of the buckle with the connecting strap passing through it and the clamping member in unclamped position, with parts in section;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional viewbf the same on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan of thef'buckle showing the strap in straight position and the buckle clamped down;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line III-Ill of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view like Fig. 9 but showing the end of the strap pulled back through the buckle.

and

Fig. 12 is a sectional View on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 11 with the parts in the same position and the strap strained until the clamp is moved out of its original vclamping position.

The invention is shown as applied to a double chain type of anti-skid device having two cross chains Ill.' each provided with hooks II at the end by which they are secured in longitudinal slots I2 in a bar I3 and buckle I4. The so-called bar is provided with another slot I5 through which a loop of the strap or other flexible connection I6 is passed and riveted to itself.

'I'he other end of the strap is intended to be held in the buckle. This buckle is formed from 5 sheet metal from a at blank cut out in the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The central portion II of this blank is bent upinto a U-shaped form leaving V-shape connections I8 with the ends of the buckle I4. The Wall of the U-shaped part I'I 10 is bent usually a little further than the plane of the original blankon that side and the loops I8 formed by bending extend .to the other side and reduce the length of the blank materially.

At one end each of these loops is provided with 15 an inwardly extending lug I9 formed from a corresponding piece cut in the original blank. 'I'hese lugs extend toward each other and are llocated in a plane on the opposite side of the original portion of the blank to that occupied 20 by the base of the U Il. A pair of holes 20 are punched through the blank which appear on the sides of the V-shaped loops I8 when the parts are bent up into their final shape. This constitutes the buckle proper. 25

This buckle, in order to be complete, is provided With a clamp lever 2l. This clamp is provided With projecting ears 22 adapted to enter the perforations 20 and pivot the clamp to the body of the buckle. It is provided with teeth 23 30 along one edge near the pivot projections 22 for engaging the body of the strap I6 to hold it in position. It is also provided with a handle 24 on the other end extending a material distance from the pivot so as to provide a good leverage. 35 This handle has opposite recesses 26 to receive the lugs I9 and an end 25 projecting materially beyond these recesses to increase the leverage.

In the use of the buckle or anti-skid device, the strap is permanently fixed to the bar I3, the 40 chains are placed on the tread of the tire, and the strap passed around under it and brought into the buckle, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, the clanip 2l being open at that time. 4When the strap is drawn up tight the clamp 2l is turned 45 about its pivot and into the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

However, to avoid the possibility of unclamping the buckle by a pull on the strap, the end of the strap is turned back and put in under the lugs 50 I9. 'I'his does not affect the ordinary use of the device. However, in case of extra strain on the strap, suflicient to turn the clamp back and possibly unclamp the whole thing, the handle of the clamp comes back against the strap under 55 the lugs I9. This prevents the loosening of the clamp in any degree, as shown in Fig. l2.

It will be seen that this constitutes a safe and strong buckle for the purpose specified. The clamping lever has its serrated clamping jaw turned at an angle to the perpendicular when in clamping position, as shown in Fig. 10, so that the more strain exerted on the strap the more does the clamping edge of the clamping lever dig into the strap. The strap will tend to reduce the distance between the place at which the pivot projection of the clamp is held and the backing ofthe strap.

Furthermore, by tucking the end of the strap in under the lugs I9 the possibility of a strain unbuckling the device is entirely avoided without the addition of any material expense or complication tothe device. The Whole construction is made inexpensively by simple mechanical operations and it can -be made of 'comparatively I light metal and produced entirely by cutting, punching, and bending operations.

The way in which it is used is so simple that anyone with enough mechanical ability to put chains on a tire will be able to put this antiskid device on and take it off and will not be likely to leave it in such condition that it will fly oil. after it has once been applied.

Although I have illustrated and described only i one form of the invention, I am aware of the fact that modications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art Without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be Hunted in this respect, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I do claim isz- `1. As an article of manufacture, a buckle for the strap of an anti-skid device, comprising a piece of metal having at the center a U-shaped part extending from beyond one side of the plane of the buckle to and beyond the other end having a pair of lugs projecting over the open end of the U-shaped part at one end thereof, and a clamping lever pivoted to the U-shaped part of said buckle and having a handle provided with side notches for receiving the lugs when the lever is clamped down tight.

2. As an article of manufacture, a buckle for the strap of an anti-skid device, comprising a piece of sheet metal bent at the' center into a U-shaped form extending from beyond one side of the plane of the buckle to and beyond the other and having side perforations in alignment and a pair of lugs projecting over the open end of the U-shaped part at one end thereof, and a clamping lever pivoted to the U-shaped part of said buckle in said perforations and having a handle projecting beyond said lugs and provided With side notches for receiving the lugs when the lever is clamped down tight, whereby the end of the strap can be passed over the clamping member when it is in locked position and under the lugs andv will eifectively prevent the unlocking of the clamping lever by a pull on the strap in the direction in which the strain actually takes place.

3. As an article of manufacture, a buckle for a strap, comprising a piece of metal having a central part extending from beyond one side of the plane of the buckle to and beyond the other and having a pair of lugs projecting over the central part at one side thereof, and a clamping lever pivoted to the central part of said buckle and having a handle provided with side notches for receiving the lugs when the lever is clamped down tight.

HENRY ST. PIERRE. 

